Story Of My Life
by TheStormySong
Summary: A young girl gets more than she bargained for on her way back to her homeland. Rated T for some adult language and a little not-so-explicit content... major Tullius bashing, you have been warned...
1. Trouble At The Border

"I need to get across the border," I almost growled at the Imperial in front of me that was currently blocking my way with a smug look on his face. I had just got to the edge of Skyrim and Cyrodiil when the border watch decided to stop me. Apparently I looked "suspicious", but the dark elf, who might I add was clearly wearing thieves guild attire, in front of me got a friendly "go on ahead." I had rode up on my white, gentle mare; a small smile on my face and a few bags strapped to both Bani, my horse, and my own person. I hadn't even managed to get a word out of my mouth before my path was blocked.

"Can't let you through," a dark haired Imperial said with a bored tone and lazily flicked his hand back towards the path we had come from.

"Why not?" I asked incredulously and sung off Bani, "you just let that man in front of me go." The guard shrugged his shoulders with an uncaring look on his face as many others aband0ned their positions to see what the commotion was all about. Upon seeing me a few of them snickered.

"I've been given direct orders not to let anyone I believe a threat into Skyrim," he told me stoically. My face reddened with anger as my infamous, or at least infamous in the area I grew up around, temper got ahold of me.

"How can I be a threat!? You haven't even searched me or anything!" I exclaimed gesturing first at my own body and then over to Bani and the rest of my belongings. I barely came over the top of the man's shoulders standing at a mere four foot eight inches and even though he was an Imperial, most were usually thin and small, his girth nearly doubled mine.

"There's nothing I can do, you look like a threat to me and in the middle of a war that's all that matters," the Imperial glared down at me and a few of his friends laughed cheerily at his comment, "now be on your way. Back to where you came from," he shooed me once more. Annoyed now I couldn't stop the scowl from forming on my face as my brows knit together.

"You just let that dark elf in front of me pass. Are you not letting me through because I am a Nord?" I questioned with grit teeth and clenched fist. Bani whinnied noticing my rage and gently nuzzled my head trying to calm me down. The damn man had the nerve to chuckle and the rest were in full on hysterics. I crossed my arms to keep them preoccupied and tapped my foot against the frigid ground.

"No, no, of course not,' he rolled his eyes and I couldn't help the growl that surfaced at his condescending attitude. I ignored the sounds of approaching horses and carriages and the chorus of voices; instead choosing to tell the group off in front of me.

"This is ridiculous! Skyrim is my home!" I exclaimed, "I've done no wrong I just want to go home." I crossed my arms and glared at the few members of the border watch in front of me unable to stop the frustrated tears that sprung to my eyes.

"You're NOT getting across you Nord bit-"

"Is there a problem?" a new, but easily recognizable voice interrupted one of the females in the group.

"General Tullius!" the entirety of the border watch snapped to attention; each gave some form of salute. I brought my gaze up to meet the steady eye of the general. I took in his graying hair and dark, wrinkled skin before swinging my eyes over to admire the rather large troop of men and women behind him. Imperials, dark elves, ad even a few Nords and Bretons made up the bunch.

"Are you alright, young lady?" the General finally addressed me after the border watch had finished with their ass-kissing. Silently I cursed myself when I caught the older man paying special attention to my wet cheeks. Ever since I was a child I would cry when angered and I was always made fun of by the local boys and girls for my small weakness, that is until I sent them home crying for their "mommies" it was rather funny at the time. Unfortunately, I couldn't send an entire army back home crying, by Talos I'm only one girl. What they don't know won't hurt them; Damsel in Distress time.

"These guards," I gestured widely to the now scandalized and red-faced border watch all the while making a great show of wiping away a few stray tears, "refuse to let me by." Dramatic finishes are the best after all.

"Why will you not this young lady through?" General Tullius addressed his subordinates with a strong, authoritative voice. A few of the accused flinched; especially the brown haired female Imperial who had been interrupted by the General earlier. Hah, that's what you get for calling me names, or, at least, trying to call me names. The man who had originally refused to let me pass managed to look somewhat embarrassed as he rubbed the back of his neck pitifully.

"She's obviously a threat, General, Sir," a sandy haired Breton sputtered trying to cover up for his friend's and his own actions. The aging Imperial looked down at me with a raised brow and an amused twinkle in his eye.

"I don't see a threat, no, I see a terrorized young girl," he stated making at least three of four guards look truly ashamed and regretful and all the while I was keeping my act up, quite beautifully if I do say so myself.

"Well, she uh... she...," a dark elf struggled to find a real reason to not let me through, a thoughtful scowl planted firmly on his face.

"She could be a Stormcloak!" the same Breton who said I was a "obvious threat" earlier jumped in once more. General Tullius laughed at the sorry excuse as did a few of his followers.

"This tiny child probably can't even lift a dagger," he joked. My right eye twitched painfully at the offhand comment as I somehow managed to control my anger, and with trembling hands managed to keep myself in the role I had created."Where are you going child?" he asked taking a step closer to me. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves. Oh, yes, the creep is strong with this one.

"I'm on my way to Whiterun to inquire about a house my mother left me with her passing," I explained, only twisting the truth a bit. I was actually heading to the Palace of the Kings to ask Jarl Ulfric about my family home in Windhelm, but if I told him that I'd never get through... and they do both start with W's.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Tullius said inclining his head with a strange look on his face. I said nothing, but nodded my head to show my "gratitude". In the deep, dark recesses of my mind I was laughing uncontrollably at the irony of it all. My mother absolutely loathed the man in front of me during her time with the living. I still remember her long, drawn out rants criticizing the General and his cowardice. He had sold out to the Thalamor, doing all they commanded and cursing the name of Talos.

"My army and I will escort her," he suddenly declared, pulling me from my musings in shock. "That way you won't have to worry, of course," he finished flashing a smile of reassurance towards the cluster of idiots that patrolled the border. Several nods and a few small, quiet "yes sirs" were the only replies he received. "Good," he snapped out, "return to your duties." The pitiful morons practically ran over one another in order to quickly follow his, well, order. Turning to me he didn't even allow a word to pass through my lips before he grabbed me by my waist and lifted me back up onto Bani, drawing a small squeak from me and a whiny from my horse. This made several soldiers laugh especially as my face reddened in mortification and anger. Tullius' chuckles only made it worse since I had to stop myself from giving him a strong kick in the face. Yep, this is the story of my life... I really need to get my anger issues checked out; it can't be too healthy.


	2. King of the Creeps

We set off; me on Bani, General Tullius on a dark almost overwhelming stallion beside us, and a troop of soldiers thundering behind us. I was still upset and bewildered with my current position. It seemed that just yesterday my mother was still alive; strong and passionate. It's still hard to believe that a woman so vibrant, so full of life died from such a simple sickness- a small cold. It hurt burying her, seeing her so pale, so lifeless. After weeks of being in that house she raised me in; she died in. After weeks of restless nights and thoughtful days I finally reached an important decision.

Long ago when I was a young child, even though I barely remember anything, and my father was still living we had a grand home in Windhelm. We still do actually that's the house I'm going to claim. My father was the right hand man of the previous Jarl, and he sent us away before the Great War- for our safety of course. He died during that war and my mother just couldn't bring herself to move us back into our home. Now I can't stand to stay in the house in Cyrodiil.

"So, child you never told me your name," the deep voice of General Tullius woke me out of my thoughts quickly. I blinked up at him through thick eye lashes. Then my brain processed what he said.

"My name? Oh, my name is Nonna," it was only a small fib. My best friend, Ashur, had always called me that. I couldn't risk telling this man my full name, mother had taught me as much.

"Nonna, Nonna," he repeated to himself, probably trying to see if it sounded familiar on his tongue. I ignored him instead trying to find my way out of the mess I managed to create for myself.

"General Tullius," I said gently getting the attention of the man beside me, "I'm very thankful for your help, but I think I'll be fine on my own for now." He seemed to think on my words before answering.

"Just stay with us until tomorrow," he finally told me, I wanted to protest but before I could he held up a hand cutting me off. "When we make camp we stay for a while. Tonight you can get rest and by tomorrow evening you'll be at Winterhold," the General explained. Knowing I didn't have much choice in the matter either way I quickly relented giving a nod of my head and a sweet thank you that made me want to cringe.

We traveled for hours. It had been early morning when we first stepped foot, or well our horses stepped hoof, onto the land of Skyrim. I had been taken by the scenery almost at once. The snow fell down in soft little flurries; gently covering the dead ground in a thick white blanket. Trees were few and far in between- dead with sharp cycles of ice hanging from gnarly branches. Strange animals ran around and let's just say my first true experience with a Horker was NOT pleasant.

"Are you sure you're really from Skyrim," an Imperial woman, Cliela, who wasn't all that bad asked me teasingly. She and I had been carrying light conversation all day.

"I was very young when my mother and I left," I explained shortly; it wasn't anything ill towards sweet Cliela, but I was beginning to tire. I wanted nothing more than to fall asleep and I might have if I weren't surrounded by a bunch of lecherous creeps and their King, Tullius. Really the stares were beginning to get- no scratch that they already were disturbing.

We finally stopped for a light lunch beside a beautiful stream. Most of it was frozen, but we had finally made it past all the snow and the grass was a beautiful, albeit dark, green. The ground was also a bit softer, but the air still had that same sharp, crisp quality. General Tullius halted the troops and swinging off his stallion gave everyone permission to wonder around; just not too far.

"Be back in thirty minutes!" he ordered loudly. I jumped off Bani and led her over to the trickling water, which she happily accepted. "Here," Tullius walked over to me with a slice of cheese and a piece of bread.

"Thank you," I said gratefully and sat down on a nearby stone that was unusually smooth. The older man sat next to me; I squirmed wanting nothing more than to get up and walk far, far away from him. We sat in silence. I kept my eyes towards Bani and the dark swirling water; sometimes I glanced over at the scrambling soldiers and menacing war horses. Finishing the bread, I wiped the crumbs from my cheeks. Looking over to Bani once more I finally found a reason for moving away from the man.

Standing up I walked over to retrieve my water pouch from Bani's saddle. Even after I had taken a small swig and but the pouch back in it's place I stayed by her side. Petting her nose and cooing softly to her I could barely keep myself from hopping onto her saddle and galloping away. Thankfully, the unrelenting gaze of Tullius melted away as he called his troops to leave.

More and more hours passed. Great trees stood proudly- green leaves were full and thick in numbers. It was still chilly, but the bright, burning sun offered copious amounts of warmth. Cliela kept me company; we talked off and on about nothing in particular, nothing personal, and especially nothing pertaining to the war. The sun was beginning to set- beautiful colors painted the sky in bright reds, oranges, and violets; a few strange colors stuck out like green. I immediately noticed a drop in temperature and rubbed the goose bumps that appeared on my arms. We stopped to set up camp on a nearby hill area and my temper sky rocketed when Tulius commanded me to stay; like a dog! I gave a polite reply, but the image of Tullius popped up in my head along with that of a strong fist and a lot of blood pouring down his old, ugly face.

Bani nudged my cheek and my glare disappeared. I stared up at the stars watching them appear one by one as the small troop worked together quickly putting up tents and fire pits. Cliela helped me tie Bani next to her own horse, a white and brown stallion. We sat together around one of the many fire pits eating a few salmon that had been caught earlier.

"You can share a tent with Evlin and me," Cliela said pointing over to a cold and aloof dark elf, "I'm sure we can all squeeze together." I thought over it; the pros greatly out weighed the cons definitely. Sleep with someone I've come to know and can trust or have some weirdo attempt to rape me tonight... gee I just don't know!

"That won't be necessary," Tullius came out of nowhere and spoke for me before I could even give my own opinion. I held my tongue.


End file.
